05
New build, inherited codebase, or migration
An existing Laravel repository is not automatically cheaper than a new build. It first needs a bounded technical and product assessment.
The assessment should run the application, inspect recent change patterns, review automated tests, identify unsupported dependencies, understand production deployment, and trace at least one relevant workflow. Code style alone does not reveal operational risk. Database size, data correctness, external contracts, security exposure, and the team’s ability to explain production behavior matter more.
For migrations, “move everything” is not an acceptance criterion. Agree source-to-target mappings, invalid-record policy, historical retention, file handling, reconciliation totals, rehearsal process, freeze window, rollback threshold, and the owner who signs off. A phased coexistence plan can reduce risk even when it extends the calendar.
Hosting location should follow user latency, data obligations, provider capability, operational access, and total cost—not the development team’s office. A Bangladesh team can operate regional or global infrastructure, but the proposal should name the selected region, backup location, billing owner, observability, recovery objective, and any foreign-currency provider costs.